6 Tips on How to Keep Your Elderly Parents Busy & Active
Many aspects of your aging parents’ lives will start to change as they enter a new phase of adulthood. Their transition into their senior years can come with some difficult changes, but it can also come along with some great opportunities as well.
Plenty of older people use their golden years to enjoy more free time than they had when they were working. That could mean looking into new hobbies, prioritizing social time, or even making travel plans. In order for them to stay healthy and make the most of their senior years, it’s important for your parents to maintain an active lifestyle as much as possible.
If you’re wondering how to keep elderly parents busy, here are six things you can do to support their mental, physical, and emotional health:
1. Help Them Create a Daily Routine
Your parents might not know what to do with all their new-found free time, especially if they’re just coming out of the workforce and moving into retirement. It can be freeing and rewarding for people in such a situation to spend a few weeks simply doing whatever they feel like doing, but after a while, they’ll start to miss the sense of purpose that they got from their old routines.
There are so many ways to find and create purpose during people’s golden years. Help your parents draft up a daily schedule they can follow that prioritizes all of their favorite things while also keeping them healthy. These could include things like spending time in the garden or dedicating time to spend working on a home project.
2. Take Walks Together
Now that your parents are entering their senior years, it gives you plenty of opportunities to spend more time with them. As you figure out how to keep elderly parents busy, think about ways you can get outside together. One of the easiest and most effective ways to spend time with your parents while supporting their health is to take walks. It is an easy activity to schedule into each of your routines, whether once a week or more often.
3. Visit New Places
Having a routine is great for seniors, as it helps them feel a sense of purpose as they spend time on hobbies they enjoy, but breaking out of routine can be great for their emotional and physical health as well.
To that end, find some new places in their area that they’ve never visited before or haven’t visited in a long time, like museums, restaurants, parks, or shopping areas, just to name a few. Bringing your parents into fresh surroundings will help keep them mentally stimulated, and it could make for a great bonding experience as you try something new together.
4. Play Games that Stimulate the Mind
If you’re looking for indoor activities to do with your parents as you’re spending time together, look for some games to play that might stimulate their brains and challenge them. One of the best ways to maintain mental clarity during one’s senior years is to continuously stimulate the mind with critical thinking and creative tasks.
There are so many great games to choose from that might achieve this effect while also helping to keep their finger dexterity strong. Try playing some card or word games, or give classics like chess and checkers a go.
5. Listen to Music
Listening to music is an excellent way for your parents to enjoy their golden years. Not only is it enjoyable, but active music listening has been shown to stimulate many different parts of the brain. Music will help support their brain health and mental clarity as they age.
6. Look into Social Events Near You for Seniors
It’s great to spend quality family time as you’re determining how to keep elderly parents busy, but it’s also helpful for them to socialize with and spend time with folks in the same stage of their lives. Finding your parents some new friends in the same age group can help them feel supported and understood in a powerful and unique way.
Additionally, they’ll be able to take part in activities they enjoy with others that are equally as passionate about them. Look up local exercise clubs, chess clubs, art classes, musical ensembles, and other social events that seniors like your parents might be interested in.
If you or your family member is considering in-home care as part of a plan to age in place, contact Family Matters In-Home Care today for a free consultation. Our team is dedicated to supporting your family and helping older adults enjoy life in the comfort of their own home for as long as possible.
Some of the services offered by Family Matter In-Home Care include: Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care, Bed & Wheelchair Transfer Assistance, Companionship, Housekeeping & Meal Preparation, Personal Care, Recovery Care, and Transportation.
Serving the San Francisco Bay Area and Greater San Diego, Family Matter In-Home Care has offices throughout California including: Campbell, CA, Roseville, CA, San Marcos, CA, and San Mateo, CA.
